Forgive Me Father
by Sweetdeath04
Summary: Julius Root was like a father to all the LEP officers. Watching a fatherlike figure die in front of your very eyes would be heart breaking. Especially if you've watched your father die before. What really happened to Holly's father? Chapter One edited!
1. The Photo

Disclaimer: I want it but I don't get what I want, do I? Don't sue!!!

**A.N.**_ The Opal Deception has inspired me to attempt an Artemis Fowl fic! I've never had any ideas before now, but hey! I'm gonna give it a shot!_

_I hope you guys like this sort of stuff. Heck! I don't even know if I like it! So, on with the show!_

**Edited 16th August 2007: **_Okay, this now makes sense! I don't think it's as good as the original but now the story actually makes sense. For those who haven't read the orginal, Trouble had barely any recolection of Adlai. Later on he becomes a wee bit more of a major character so I decided it needed changing! I also removed the 'empty bottle of whiskey' due to the fact that fairies that drink spirits loose the magical abilities or something along those lines. Sorry, I'm at work so I can't really check._

_Anyway, hope you all enjoy the updated version of..._

**The Photo**

**The Lower Elements Police Station**

Sool had been given the position of Commander of the LEP. Holly Short had been accused of a murder she hadn't committed and had left the LEP. Holly would be the first of many. Times were not good in the Lower Elements Police.

No one liked Sool, especially Foaly. He had no respect for his officers. Sure, Julius had been strict, but he had been fair.

Major Trouble Kelp had been put behind a desk, despite his protests. Paperwork was his worst nightmare. But today he had a break, as did Foaly. Instead of manning their proper posts and doing some use, Sool had given them a temporary job.

"Make this office habitable before the end of your double shift! Get rid of everything! Including this awful stench!"

That office had been Julius Roots office. The awful stench was that of the fungus cigars he had smoked constantly. Trouble shook his head sadly. He had never thought that he would find the smell comforting.

So here they were. Foaly and Trouble had set aside their respective jobs for the night and were sifting sadly through their ex-commanders belongings.

So far they hadn't really found anything of interest. A half empty box of fungus cigars, a _lot_ of paperwork and a sealed acorn (Foaly grinned at this). It was Trouble who found the photo, not that he had taken any interest in it to begin with.

"Hey, Trouble, what's this?" Indeed, the old photo would have gone unnoticed altogether had Foaly not spied it.

"Just a picture Foaly, nothing interesting."

Foaly chuckled. "Trouble Kelp, I'm ashamed! Don't you remember why you wanted to join the LEP?"

The elf looked up, suddenly interested. "My old man. He was always saying he had friends in the LEP. _'Good honest men work there, my lad. You'd do well to join them. I didn't have the courage, but you, my son, you do!'_ That's what he'd say." He grinned suddenly. "He still says it, except recently he's been saying that I should work my way to the top and knock a certain gnome off his pedestal!"

A loud burst of laughter came from the Command Office. When it subsided the quiet chatter continued.

"Those friends in the LEP, Julius Root wouldn't happen to have been one of them, would he?"

Trouble bent over the photo to have a closer look. "Well I never…" he trailed off emphatically. There, staring him straight in the face was his father, his ex-commander and several other men who vaguely resembled people he knew. About four of the seven fairies were wearing old style LEP uniforms. For a while, he tried to match father to son, finally stopping on one grinning face. He looked at it pensively.

"Do you remember him?" Trouble pointed to the face. He was standing tall, well as tall as an elf could get, bold and smiling. Foaly squinted at the face, trying to recall every detail about this particular elf's demise.

"One of the best damn officers the LEP has ever seen," Foaly stated boldly as Trouble sombrely nodded in agreement. The centaur glanced around the room nervously, as though the next words he uttered were best left unsaid. "You were part of it. What do you think? Killed in action or murdered?"

Trouble cringed. He hated being reminded that he _had_ been a part of the escapade that saw the death of this elf, who wore the acorns of a Major. "What do you think?" He hissed. "Murdered, of course!"

Foaly reached up to re-adjust his tin foil hat. He had taken to wearing it again since Sool had been instated as commander. "Yes, well I believe it was murder too." Foaly's hushed voice was barely heard over the air conditioning unit. "But the Council didn't. The only witness... poor girl."

No, Trouble thought morosely. No, 'poor girl' was too cheap a way to describe the pain that went through Holly Short as she watched her father's death.

Foaly gingerly lifted off the tin foil hat, fingering its creases absently. "Major Adlai Short," he said in memoriam as Trouble shut his eyes tightly.

"I should send Holly a copy of this, she'd like to see it," Foaly added in a tone slightly lighter.

Trouble opened his eyes to find the tin foil hat replaced on its perch. He could only nod wordlessly, believing that it may be impossible to sound any words past the lump that had appeared in his throat.

**Short and Diggums Privet Detective Agency**

Holly Short sat back with a sigh. The Agency had been doing well, very well in fact. From what she had heard from her friends in the LEP Mulch and her had gotten more calls than them! Looks like the public don't like Sool either, she mused to herself.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she almost drifted off to sleep in her chair. She definitely would have if it hadn't have been for the loud beeping her computer was producing. Resisting a groan she opened the email.

"_Trouble and I found this when Sool ordered us to clear out Julius's office. Thought it might interest you._

_Yours truly, _

_The Slaving Centaur."_

Holly laughed out loud. Sool was evil, there was no doubt, but Foaly could make the best out of a bad situation!

Opening the attachment she slowly downloaded a copy of a photograph. Obviously it was extremely old. There were fairies of different kinds, some wearing old fashioned LEP uniforms. Foaly had typed names below.

"_Left to right; Vein, Adair, Louis, Kelp, Root, Short, Clovis."_

Short? Holly stared into the face of her deceased father. He was standing right beside Commander Root. Julius and Adlai had been friends from when they had entered the LEP together. Both were dead now. Both were murdered. Both died in front of her eyes.

Tears filled the hazel eyes which had seen more than anyone should ever have had to.

**A.N.**_ Okay, so much for a simple 100 word prologue! But guys, __**I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! **__I have, as usual, dived head first into a fanfiction which I haven't really thought out. _

_I really don't know what is going to happen to Adlai Short, I don't know who is going to kill him, I don't know why Holly was there and I don't know anything at all! _

_So this is why I'm asking you to review. I need suggestions, lots of them! Please help me!_

_Anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter. I was reading LEPrecon last night and I was reminded about how much I love Trouble!!! He so totally rocks!!!_

_Please Review!!!_

_**Sweetdeath04**_


	2. Dad

Disclaimer: Don't own it. I'm not an amazing author, Eoin Colfer is.

**A.N.**_ Okay! I'm back! It's a miracle! This chapter isn't going to be major to the plot, just something I wanted to put in. **IMPORTANT:** At a guess I'm saying that every twenty years in fairy years equals to five human years. Graduation happens in their twenty first fairy year, but when Holly is sixty she is fifteen in human years. Does that make any sense? Na, didn't think so._

_This chapter is more a 'filling in the pieces' chapter, though how it comes to be one is beyond me._

_Guys, thanks so much for the reviews and ideas! They're inspiring, even though I'm still not entirely sure what's gonna happen. I gotta French exam tomorrow so I'll probably think of something during it. Hey! It's not my fault that I can't speak French!_

_My wonderful inspiring reviewers, here's to you!_

_**refloc: **Oh I'm gonna finish this! No messing with this fic, unless you have the worlds bestest idea! And there may be some Trouble / Holly romance! It's my favourite too! Thanks for the ideas and the review!_

_**atheleticsrulz: **Thanks so much for the review! Don't worry about your brain not working! That happens to me all the time and I turned out just fine! Right? Okay, now's the time to get scared! Thanks!_

_**IhateSool: **I LOVE YOUR NAME! Thanks so much for the idea and the review! It may indeed be of use! I just don't know yet! Heck, I have a feeling that in later chapters there may be Sool bashing! Thanks!_

_**Holly Rox: **Thanks for the review! I told you, you might get a glimpse of Baby Holly! Thanks and enjoy! _

_**EvilSpirit: **Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_**aperfectattitude: **Thanks so much! Yeah, I was upset that Root got killed off so I decided that I wasn't gonna be the only one to suffer! Holly's gonna get it rough! Thanks and enjoy!_

_**lutefa: **Thanks so much! You're idea is now vital to the entire fic! I owe you! Big time! Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_**This is dedicated to all my reviewers, especially those who gave me ideas, some unknowingly. Yep, I have a plan, a cunning plan! Thanks guys!**_

**Dad**

"She's a cute one Adlai, I'll give you that," said Ray to his friend, and newly made father, Adlai Short. Raymond Kelp, as it was, had been a father for five years and had a troublemaker of a son.

"I know Ray, trust me, I know." Adlai was too stunned by his week old daughter, who had been born while he was on a mission with Retrieval that had lasted longer than intended. A lot longer.

"She looks like Lilly," contemplated Ray with a grin.

"Are you sure?" Adlai looked up from his sleeping baby girl with a wry smile. "She's cute, you said it yourself, so personally, I think she has my dashing good looks!" The two elfs laughed loudly.

"Don't flatter yourself 'Lai!" cried a bronze skinner elf, stepping into the room. This was Lilly Short, his beloved wife. "And if the two of you don't shut up you'll wake her up!"

Kissing his wife longingly on her red lips in greeting Adlai asked quietly, "And what are we calling her?" The deal was that if it was a boy, he would name him, and if it was a girl the task would go to Lilly.

She answered with a note of defiance in her voice. "Holly, without a doubt."

Adlai looked down at the girl in his arms, "Holly, hey Holly! This is your old man! I'm your Dad!" he breathed softly. He had never really liked the name, but… it suited her. He couldn't argue. Looking up he saw Lil smiling fondly at the two of them and his grin returned. "Holly it is!"

He didn't miss Lilly's sigh of relief. Nor did he miss Ray's cooing. He resisted the urge to roar with laughter and wake the child.

"Hewoow, wittwle Holly!"

……………

Years went by. Holly Short grew up looking up more and more to her father. She was like her mother in the looks department, but she had her father's spirit.

At her graduation, she kept the name Holly. Ray Kelp's eldest son however changed his name famously to Trouble.

Holly was sixty now. Her mother had died five years ago. The shock of the death had hit Holly like a hammer and she would never really get over it. She lived now with her dad.

Holly hadn't been told much about circumstances of her mother's death. Only that there had been an accident. Her father wouldn't talk about it, she assumed that he was too traumatised and upset about it.

Holly had never been to the surface and always had wanted to go. Her dad told her what it was like, the clear sky, the fresh air… It sounded like paradise!

Her dad was a Major but still went on missions regularly. He hated paperwork. One of the many traits that he had passed onto his daughter

Adlai was immensely proud of his daughter. Five years ago, he thought she would never manage to regain her physiological strength. Lilly's death had been the biggest tragedy the family had ever had to face.

Strangely enough, it was Holly that had got him through the ordeal. Her will to carry on for the better had reminded him that he wasn't the only one suffering and that he had a duty. A duty to protect the People from those who had taken his wife from him, and a duty to look after his daughter. He wouldn't give up.

He had always told her to do what she thought was right, no matter what the consequences would be. And he too intended to follow that rule. She wanted to follow in his footsteps, become a LEP officer. Adlai knew however that it was impossible. Holly was a girl, no doubt about it. If she was anything in the LEP it would be a secretary, or if she was lucky, a Privet.

But he wasn't going to dissuade the girls dream. If he did, it would crush her hopes and in the process, crush her. He would never _ever_ do anything to hurt his daughter. That was the one exception to the rule. Do whatever you think is right no matter what the consequences… unless it will hurt Holly.

Yes, he would encourage her dream. That was why he was going to take her on a mission. Nothing he couldn't handle. Nothing she couldn't handle. Just a simple mission to the surface.

Nothing could go wrong, apart from the fact that he could be kicked out of the LEP if he was caught taking her with him. But that was Foaly's job. The young centaur was a technical wiz.

He had arrived in for work one day and had immediately befriended Foaly, who was looking lost on his first day, until he entered the Operations Booth. Adlai had never seen a hyper centaur before.

Such a pity that Julius didn't get on with him. Neither did Ray actually, but his eldest son Trouble did.

Foaly had agreed to fake a communications breakdown between Major Short and Police Plaza. That way, no one would ever be the wiser that Short Junior was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be.

Closing his eyes he imagined Lilly. _'Am I doing the right thing Lil?'_ He asked himself. He sighed, walked down the hall in his house and peeked into Holly's room. She was sitting contently on the bed with a History Virtual Reality Helmet on.

'_Yes, you are,'_ he heard his deceased wife's voice say in his head. Smiling gently he turned away.

He was known by many names or titles. Adlai, 'Lai, Short, Major, Mate, the list went on.

Some called him a murderer, though it was generally the families of those he had had to kill because they were about to kill someone else, or him.

Some called him a peace maker, a voice of authority. That's what happened when you were in the LEP Retrieval Squad.

He was once a husband, now a widower. Rarely had he been called a family man. But without a doubt, none of these were his favourite name.

His favourite was the one he was called everyday, by only one person.

Dad.

**A.N.** _This chapter looks shorter than it actually is! Thanks for all the reviews but I need more idea. I'm still not sure what it gonna happen, and now I need to know what happened to Holly's mum. I have an idea though… But I'm looking for better ones. _

_This may be temporarily abandoned for a while 'cause I really need to finish my other fanfics. Especially my Harry Potter one!_

_Please review! It makes my day when you do! _

_Hey! That rhymed! Sort of…_

_**Sweetdeath04** _


	3. Carrots

Disclaimer: Artemis Fowl is property of Eoin Colfer, ya de ya. Adlai, however, is mine! All mine!

**A.N. **_Ah it's good to be back! Sorry I was away for so long! Any Harry Potter fans- do I dare speak the name of another book here? - will know that HBP has been released so that means my HP fic is finished! And a new one has begun. Leading on from that, I can get this fic up and running again! _

**Trouble Kelp: **_Thanks! My twentieth reviewer! No worries about the idea's thing, it's all sorted… I hope! Thanks!_

**Jamie Love:**_ I hope you can see through your tears now! I'll send you the cyber tissues if you need them! Thanks so incredibly much!_

**JD: **_Um… does that mean that you're gonna gut me? YIKES! I'm updating! I'M UPDATING! Whew! Thanks for the death threat- I mean, review! LOL! Hope you like this! _

**FillyTheCentaur: **_Oh no! Don't cry! I don't know what to do when people start crying! D'Arvit! Oh it's so GOOD to hear people other than me use that word! Thanks for the complements! I don't deserve them! And thanks for the review!_

**athleticsrulz:**_ If there are policemen about then it could be even longer 'til I update! Just kidding! Well don't worry about finding my address 'cause all you need to do is write "Soggy Field, Back End of Nowhere!" on the envelope! Thanks for the review!_

**totallysad: **_Actually it said that four of the seven men were wearing uniforms. Technically Troubles old man could have been one of the three that weren't! The photo is a group of friends, not all are colleagues. Well, thanks for pointing out that it wasn't too clear! Thanks for the review!_

**glorwen: **_Aw thanks! Sorry it took so long to update!_

**IhateSool: **_It's sort of obvious but I guarantee it will be better than it sounds! Thanks!_

**Holly Rox: **_Lol! I know lodes of people who abandon stuff! One writer says that she'll finish it yet it's been over a year since she updated! Well, at least that's not me! Speak to ya soon! Thanks!_

**EvilSpirit: **_WAZZUP! Thanks so much!_

**refloc: **_Apparently you couldn't get to my new chappie… Ah well! Hope you enjoy!_

**sergeantstan: **_I know this isn't soon, but it's the best I could do! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks!_

**ultra-violet-catastrophy: **_Wow! Has it really been that long since I updated? Man, I'm behind! Well, hope you like this and thanks!_

**lalalalalalala: **_I'm updating! I've got a plot now so everything's under control! Thanks for the reviews!_

_I hope I didn't leave anyone out but if I did I apologise and I thanks thee!_

**Carrots**

A few days later Holly was padding down the hall of the house her dad and her had been calling 'home' for the past few years, in her pyjamas and slippers. She had been about to go into the kitchen to make breakfast before heading off to work. Her job was simply taking orders in a café. Boring, but it was stable work until she could apply at the LEP.

"Uh… yeah… no, no she won't be in today… doctor said it a twenty-four hour thing… maximum of a week… okay, thank you. Gd'bye.

Adlai had been talking on the communicator to, it would seem, her boss. As he closed the small screen down he said loudly, "Hols, you might wanna get your rear into gear! You're coming with me today." He poked his head around the door and gave a bark like laugh at his offspring's amazed and confused face.

After recovering from the shock, Holly didn't need to be told twice. It took exactly seven minutes and eleven seconds for her to appear in the kitchen fully washed and dressed. Adlai had timed her. Soon she had gulped down her breakfast and was literally bouncing in anticipation.

Before Adlai handed a pair of wings to her, he forced her to sit down.

"Holly, you know that you're not supposed to be coming with me today?"

Holly nodded, "I also know that you're breaking the Code by taking me and that you could get chucked out, so don't worry. I'll behave." She offered him a quirky grin.

Adlai wasn't ready to accept it yet, no matter how tempting it was. "So you're going to have to be careful. I'm going to lead you into the Ops Booth and that's where you're going to stay. Unless Foaly tells you otherwise," he added as an afterthought.

Once again she nodded, this time her face was deadly serious. She knew the risks involved. But her proud father couldn't dampen her excitement and he certainly couldn't blame her. The first time he had set foot in Police Plaza he had been so ecstatic that his commanding officer had reprimanded him and promised him desk duty for a month, instead of the 'missions' that he would be getting otherwise. It didn't take him long to realise that desk duty wasn't much worse than Traffic Duty.

…

Major Adlai Short had been working at the LEP for almost five hundred years. Therefore, he knew every, single, tiny, little door and passageway. This included the back door to the Ops Booth. It hadn't taken long for Foaly to code it with a Voice ID lock that only opened to the voice patterns of the centaur and the Major. That was the easy bit though.

Commander Lichens didn't take kindly to the fact that this new, eccentric 'donkey' had locked up a potential breach of security that he had never even heard of. Its existence, or lack of by his thinking, was a completely new phenomenon for the dear Commander.

Well, it wasn't _their_ fault that an elf who had been in the LEP longer than Adlai wasn't adventurous enough to venture out of his office when he wasn't needed to!

"Carrots," said Adlai in a clear voice into the little microphone when it wheedled its way out of concealment. "Foaly chose the password," he replied to his daughters bemused expression. The question had been hovering on her lips, he knew!

Before the door had closed behind them, Holly found her arm being wrenched from her side and hoisted up and down forcefully.

Suddenly, it stopped. "Holly, what age are you?"

For a genius, thought Holly, that was an incredibly dumb first question. However, her wit shone through.

"Now, now Foaly! You should know that if you want to catch a girl, you never ask what age she is! I'm sixty. Why?"

Thus was the beginning to a perfect, platonic relationship.

Foaly gaped at her. "Adlai, by the way you talked, I thought she was only ten!"

The Major had the decency to blush. Laying a hand on Holly's shoulder, in what could be considered, a protective manner, he said in a proud voice, "But she'll always be my little girl."

Holly didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or, like her father, proud. Instead, she settled for keeping her face impassive.

"I have a job to be getting to!" Adlai started, looking at the time. "Holly, do whatever Foaly tells you- Scratch that, only do what he tells you if it isn't life threatening." He eyed Foaly warily, "Hide her if anyone apart from me comes to call," he shot the centaur a searching glare that plainly said, 'or else.'

"The damsel shan't be in distress with Prince Foaly about!" He bowed awkwardly. It wasn't an easy fete with four legs!

With a wave, Major Short left through the concealed door.

"So…" said Holly, at a loss for words, "you like carrots?"

…

Holly spent about half an hour either talking to Foaly, hiding in a cupboard (in which there was a half full bottle of Irish brandy), spying on officers or checking her watch. Somehow she managed to restrain herself when, for the umpteenth time she was sent to the cupboard to hide.

As the cupboard door closed the main door of the Ops Booth opened. Holly heard a mumbled greeting from Foaly as he feinted being hard at work, to the newcomer. Then a thud echoed around the room as he plopped into the swivel chair she had occupied only moments before.

"I swear, that guy's an idiot!" Holly froze. She recognised that voice. Kelp- Trouble Kelp.

"It's a D'Arviting good thing he's retiring soon!" Trouble continued with fury. "I hope the new Commander is someone decent!"

Foaly replied almost instantly. "Lichens is retiring?"

"Well, that's the rumours. But that could just be the officers wishful dreaming." Holly could almost _hear_ Trouble grinning. "Anyway, if it _is_ all true, I hope one of the Major's gets the job. Most of them are pretty decent blokes."

"And which one would you like to get it?" The sly note in the centaur's voice was heard distinctly by the hiding elf.

"Tough. Julius Root maybe. I'd say Adlai Short, but it'd kill him. He loves the field too much to take a desk job. Root would just manage the horror and no more!"

Holly's heart swelled with joy. _Her father_ was actually being considered as Commander by another officer. She only wished she could communicate with Trouble to convey her gratitude to him.

Foaly, however, changed the topic. "So, what did Lichens do this time?"

Trouble ranted on about paperwork and threatened suspension from the LEP for a few minutes, before finishing with a sigh and the words, "I know I shouldn't, but I need a drink."

Booted heals clunked across the floor and Short Junior tried to remember how to breathe.

"None left! Sorry!" Foaly was panicking as much as her. The words were spoken far too quick to be believable.

Trouble chuckled as he opened and closed cupboard doors, getting gradually closer to where Holly was hiding. She cowered in the dark, praying that by some amazing luck, Kelp would never find her here.

"Don't bother looking Trouble! There's none there!" Foaly's voice had reached a higher pitch than was natural.

Trouble's laugh was full blown. "What _are_ you hiding in here, Foaly, that could be so damaging to your reputation." The elf gasped through the gales that came from his mouth. "A Major's daughter perhaps?" His fist hit the table above her as Trouble doubled over in hysterics at the absurdity of the idea. Foaly only giggled unconvincingly.

It was at that point that the door Holly Short was hiding behind was wrenched open.

Trouble blinked once- twice- three times before looking at Foaly, then back at Holly.

"Oh," he muttered, completely sobered. "You _are_ hiding a Major's daughter." Then, in an amazingly light-hearted voice; "Hey-ya Holly! Care to explain what you're doing here?"

**A.N. **_And there you have it! I never thought of putting Trouble in there, but my mind just informed me that it's essential to the plot. Well, someone has to feed my Plot Bunnies!_

_So, what d'ya think? Hope you like it! Please review! And, once again, sorry for the updating delay!_

**_Sweetdeath04 (who will supply Cyber Tissues from this point on to anyone who requires them!)_**


	4. Question Time

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Artemis Fowl apart from Adlai! He's all mine!

**A.N. **_Hey guys…. Yeah, does anyone remember me? I've only been away for what? A year? Two?_

_Yeah, I've been killed by school. Seriously- I never realised it was such hard work until last year! I'm currently supposed to be doing Technology Coursework, but I'm sorta on an Artemis Fowl high at the moment. _

_**IMPORTANT!!! SORRY!!!!!** For two things- firstly, for not updating this fic and basically leaving it abandoned, and secondly, for getting so many facts wrong!!!_

_I totally forgot that Fairies can't drink human spirits so please disregard that and I never figured out that Trouble would have known Adlai from the photo if he had been a Major when Trouble joined the LEP. So I'm sorry for being stupid. I will go through the first few chapters sometime soon and correct everything!_

_Now a note to everyone who's reviewed; Thank you!!! I'm not going to mention you all simply because most of you will have forgotten all about this fic! But please review and get me writing again!!!_

_Thanks!!!_

**Question Time**

Holly was thanking her lucky stars that Private Trouble Kelp hadn't gone straight to Commander Lichens after discovering her. But it didn't stop her from sitting sullenly silent while Trouble questioned her.

"Holly, what are you doing in here?"

No answer.

"Fine, do you realise your father could get fired for having you on LEP premises without a pass?"

Silence.

"If you're going to act like that then maybe I should just go get the Commander and let _him_ grill you down?"

Not even a movement.

A note of frustration wormed its way into Trouble's voice, "Or I could just drag you out of here and stick you in a cell myself!!!"

Holly's head rose as she tore her gaze away from her shoes to glare straight into Private Kelp's eyes.

This was how they were, with Foaly looking on nervously, when the door buzzed for Foaly's permission to admit another fairy.

Each person in the Ops Booth was startled into action. Trouble yanked Holly out of her seat and rather unceremoniously deposited her back in her cupboard, hissing at her to stay quiet. Foaly was fumbling to activate the door whilst checking Holly was well hidden.

Any light that might have gotten in to Holly's hiding place was blocked by, what she suspected, was Trouble's leg. Her head was whirling. Possibilities of what was to come raced through her head, chasing each other. None were pleasant.

Then a voice filtered through to her- a voice which reassured her and helped her reach a point of calmness so that she could think quite clearly. It was also a voice that was followed by the collective sighs of Foaly and Trouble.

………

The door slid shut behind Adlai as he took in the faces of the elf and the centaur. "Why is it that every time I see you two together it always looks as though you're conspiring to blow up half of Haven?"

Their expressions had slid to relief from terror, but they were quickly changing again. Foaly looked afraid for his life and Trouble looked awkward as he stood, fidgeting in front of a set of storage cupboards.

Something was amiss and Adlai had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was. "What?" he asked cautiously.

Foaly and Trouble exchanged a glance as a moment's silence fell across the room. Then-

"I'm sorry Adlai!!! I tried! I really did!!!"

"Major Short! Do you realise that Foaly's kidnapped your daughter?"

"I couldn't exactly lock her in!"

"I don't know how she could have gotten in here without help!"

"It was _his_ fault!!!!!"

Their voices clashed as they spoke together and Major Short barely made out a word of what they were frantically trying to say. "Enough!!!" he barked, in a manner he used only when leading his retrieval team. "I can't understand either of you when you're talking like that! _One_ of you _please_ tell me what's going on here?!"

His fears were confirmed. Trouble stepped ever so slightly to his right, bringing with him a door. The cupboard flooded with light as an elfin figure clambered out, looking up guiltily.

Holly.

………

Holly walked over to stand beside her father. His hand rested reassuringly on top of her shoulder.

Now it was Trouble's turn to be grilled.

"Well Kelp? Are you going to tell on me?"

Trouble winced inwardly. He wished Short hadn't phrased it like that. It made him sound like a schoolboy snitch. Or, he thought unkindly, like his brother Grub and his incessant, 'I'm going to tell Mummy on you!'

Then the words of the question hit him.

"Tell on _you_?! But, I thought that… _she_ broke in- not that you _smuggled_ her in!!!"

Holly spoke her first words to Trouble that day. "_She_ has a name you know," she protested grumpily.

Adlai squeezed her shoulder- a warning. "Call it work experience, if you will. Totally against regulations but when have we really cared about them before?"

Trouble fidgeted some more before coming to a decision, "I won't tell. Just," he paused before shaking his head and directing his next comment at Holly, "don't get caught again."

Adlai smiled fondly at the young elf. He stepped across the floor and placed his other hand on Trouble's ducked head- a gesture that he had picked up from the boy's father. "If you're sure. If Lichens finds out you realise you're career will be gone quicker than a centaur can swallow a carrot. You do realise that?"

Behind him, Foaly muttered, "I resent that carrot comment."

"Then we'll have to make sure Lichens, or anybody else for that matter, doesn't find out." Trouble said, the fire that usually graced his eyes returning. "So you'd better tell me this plan of yours before I go and accidentally blow it."

**A.N.** _I know it's a short chapter, but it's better than nothing! It's so hard to write Trouble and Holly when they're a wee bit younger. But the good news is you get the entire plan and the start of the mission in the next chapter- which **will** be up soon!_

_Please, please, please review!!! I'd like to try and beat my record number of reviews which is currently standing at eighty one!!!_

_TTFN_

_**Sweetdeath04** _


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